The SX-grade Koup has the same features but adds sporty appearance touches such as chrome-tipped dual exhaust pipes, 18-in. alloy wheels and light-emitting-diode taillights.

Both EX and SX Koups wear the same Optima-inspired face as the 4-door ’14 Forte, but the SX grille gets black-gloss inserts for a more menacing look.

The SX interior also boasts a more athletic appearance, Kia says, with carbon fiber-style seat accents.

Front-heated seats and a cooled driver’s seat are available on the ’14 Forte Koup.

Also debuting on Kia’s New York stand is a refreshed Optima midsize sedan.

Since going on sale in late 2011, the Optima has become Kia’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S., with 152,399 units sold last year, WardsAuto data shows.

The front and rear fascias have been updated, as have rear diffusers and the sedan’s trunk lid.

A larger instrument-cluster screen and optional central touchscreen are new on the inside.

Seats are fully redesigned and a blindspot detection system, with rear cross-traffic alert and parking sensors, now is optional on the sedan.

The Optima’s engines, a 2.4L DI 4-cyl., 2.0L turbocharged DI 4-cyl. and a hybrid powertrain, carry over for ’14.

New on the midsize sedan is a driver-selectable steering system Kia calls “Drive Mode Select.” Like the Forte’s FlexSteer, it adjusts steering weight, but the Optima system also controls transmission shift points.

Hot Topic

The announcement follows a 6-month government review that considered the best and safest ways to test automated vehicles that allow an individual to take control of the car if necessary. It also looked further ahead to the legal implications....More

Today’s auto-industry executives must connect Silicon Valley and Detroit, as well as address entirely new dimensions of safety concerns, such as how to protect their customers’ privacy and data....More

The supplier envisions connected vehicles carrying on never-ending digital conversations with IBM’s computer servers in Dallas about more than just the weather. Forgive my inability to process the vast implications....More

Fully automated driving can be expected in the decade after 2020. But Bosch already offers driver-assistance functions which represent important first steps, Bosch Americas chief Werner Struth says....More

Similar to the LS9 small-block V-8, GM integrates the intercooler of the LF3 V-6 inside the V of the engine instead of mounting it remotely. That reduces compressed-air travel and shaves turbo lag to minimal levels....More